Venus

ON THIS PAGE

IntroductionThe brightest object in the night sky on Earth (besides our moon), Venus has been observed for millennia. And as one of just two bodies between Earth and the Sun, Venus periodically passes across the face of the sun—a phenomenon called a transit. Observing transits of Venus has helped astronomers study the nearby planet and better understand the solar system and our place in it. Transits of Venus occur in pairs with more than a century separating each pair, occurring in 1631 and 1639; 1761, 1769; 1874, 1882; and 2004, 2012. The next transit isn't until December 2117. Such long gaps occur between transits because Earth's and Venus' orbits around the sun are inclined differently, so Venus much more often passes between Earth and the sun without crossing the face of the sun from our perspective.

Spacecraft from several nations have visited Venus, including the Soviet Union’s successful Venera series made the first landings on the surface of Venus. NASA’s Magellan mission, which studied Venus from 1990 to 1994, used radar to map 98 percent of the planet’s surface. Currently, Japan’s Akatsuki is studying Venus from orbit.​

Explore in 3D—Eyes on the Solar System

Eyes on the Solar System lets you explore the planets, their moons, asteroids, comets and the spacecraft exploring them from 1950 to 2050. Ride with the Curiosity Rover as it lands on Mars or fly by Pluto with the New Horizons spacecraft all from the comfort of your home computer.